Covid-19, also known as Coronavirus, has been rocking countries across the world. On March 2, Nigeria confirmed it’s first Coronavirus case since then Nigerians have been on red alert and panicking about the possible spread.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire in a tweet, said an Italian man imported the virus into the country and was detected five days after he got to the country.
On March 9, the second case of Covid-9 was also announced to have been detected in Ogun State. The victim was said to have had a primary contact with the first victim confirmed to have the coronavirus case.
Wanted Men
Recently, the Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, announced that two primary contacts with the Italian man who is the country’s index case are wanted.
He gave their names to be Enwelunta Obumnore Godfrey and Salami Abiodun Sadeeq, both males. These men were said to be on the same flight with the Italian man.
With these two men declared to be nowhere to be found as their phones have been unreachable and all other means of contact are not helping to close tab on them, what do you think is the fate of Nigerians?
It is a known fact that Nigeria does not have adequate medical facilities, resources, and hands to handle the deadly coronavirus cases if it becomes an outbreak in Nigeria.
Call For Action
According to the latest United Nations data, Nigeria’s population is over two hundred and six million. That is, Nigeria has about 2.64 percent of the world population.
Then with the way Coronavirus has been spreading in other countries of the world, can we be so comfortable with risking the spread of such in our nation?
Which of the part of Nigeria can we say the two men wanted for clinical examinations are right now? How many other persons have they had contact with?
Are these men the only ones we should watch out for? What about the persons coming into our country from countries that have recorded cases of Coronavirus daily? What about the fact that persons come into our country through the land borders consistently?
Cameroon has also confirmed that it has recorded a case of Coronavirus. Do we wait until this gets out of hands before we do something?
Can we begin to call for a restriction on public gatherings? Remember that sporting activities have been banned in Italy after about 366 persons lost their lives.
With over one hundred and nine thousand cases with over three thousand, eight hundred deaths globally, can we start to think of taking decisive actions to ensure we do not get to the point of no return?
Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, just said Nigerians should help themselves as the reality of this virus ravaging the world becomes more real by the second.
As a nation, let us help ourselves by reducing unnecessary public gatherings. When you go to religious congregations like churches and mosques, you can’t be too careful. While in the market and public means of transportation, take caution.
What do we do about our schools, especially for adolescents who can’t take adequate care of themselves? Worry, they say solve no problem, but effective precautionary measures can do a lot of good.
Coronavirus is no respecter of persons, government, or excuses. More coordinated countries are battling with containing Covid-9, do we fold our hands and wait till things fall apart?